Tag Archives: kitchen design

A soft cotton cloth dampened with warm water is usually sufficient to clean your cabinets. If more thorough cleaning is required, use one of the following cleaning solutions:

A fresh solution of dishwashing liquid mixed with warm water.

A mild all-purpose cleaner. Make sure it does not contain ammonia or silicone.

Use the mildest cleaning solution that will successfully clean your cabinets. Stronger products may damage or discolor your cabinet finish and are not recommended.

After cleaning, wipe all surfaces with a clean, damp cloth. Dry immediately, using another soft, clean cloth.

Splatters and Spills

Clean spills and splatters immediately. Prolonged exposure to spills, including food, water or other liquids, or to oil and grease splatters, can cause permanent discoloration or damage to your cabinet’s finish.

Cleaning Products to Avoid

Sponges or dish clothes. They may contain particles that could scratch your cabinets, or they may contain food and oil residue.

Solvent-based or petroleum-based products such as mineral spirits, nail-polish removers or paint thinners.

Ammonia or cleaning products that include ammonia.

Bleach or cleaning products that include bleach.

Silicone-based cleaning, waxing, or polishing products.

Regular Dusting

Use a clean, soft lint-free cotton cloth for regular dusting.

Packaged dusting sheets are not required or recommended. Do not use pre-moistened dusting sheets, and do not use aerosol products made for dusting.

Waxing and Polishing

Waxing is not required or recommended. Over time, waxing and polishing compounds may build up on the surface of your cabinets and cause a hazy, streaky or yellowed appearance. This wax build up is very difficult to remove.

Cleaning Glass Doors

Extra care is required when cleaning glass doors. Spray an ammonia-free glass cleaner on a clean, soft, lint-free cloth or paper towel. Do not spray cleaner directly on the glass. It could seep behind the window dividers and cause damage.

Scratches, Gouges and Nicks

A Touch-Up Kit is available to hide surface damage. Contact the place of business where you purchased your cabinetry to purchase the color-matched touch-up kit for your specific cabinets.

Use the kit’s touch-up pen to hide minor blemishes. Use the kit’s tinted putty stick to fill deeper scratches, gouges or nicks. Detailed instructions are provided in each kit.

Avoid Moisture Damage

Avoid draping damp clothes or dishtowels over cabinet doors. This moisture can cause permanent damage — such peeling and discoloration — to the cabinet’s finish.

Avoid Heat Damage

The heat generated when using an oven’s self-cleaning feature is much greater than during normal cooking. If this heat escapes from the oven, it can damage your cabinets. While this is a rare circumstance, you can minimize the risk of cabinet damage by removing cabinet doors and drawers nearest the oven before using its self-cleaning feature.

Avoid Light Damage

Exposure to direct sunlight tends to darken the color of natural wood products. Sunlight can also fade painted wood surfaces, laminated surfaces and thermofoil surfaces. You should consider draperies or blinds to shield your cabinets from direct sunlight.

Welcome to the age of technology! Oh, you have been here for a while? So you must also have charger wires everywhere for mobile devices and other clutter related to the wireless world? Well we have come up with a few simple ideas to consider when designing and remodeling your kitchen.

Conceal outlets in cabinets: the picture above and below shows two ways to hide those wires needed to charge devices. We all put them in our kitchen in the same spot (usually on the counter) so we don’t forget where they are. Imagine your new kitchen having that spot in a cabinet and hidden.

Create a “Drop Zone”: “Drop Zone” is a modern day buzz word. It literally means a spot to drop anything you walk with in your hands. For most of us, this in the countertop or mud room bench or dining room table…wherever we can land these items safely and be able to find quickly. With smart design, this “Drop Zone” can be incorporated into your cabinetry. It can be a life changing decision!

Mud Room Drop Zone

Use slim end of run pantry to create a mobile device charging station, message center and hanging storage.

Baskets and Cubbies: sounds simple, but is it really? If you plan for certain sized baskets and create cubbies that meet your daily life, it is simple. Baskets in a cubby are easily accessible and hide the mail, extra plugs, ear buds, etc. Cubbies work great for shoes, umbrellas and other bulky items. Don’t forget hooks too! You can hang school bags, jackets and even you purse. Grab and go!

Joe and Stephanie Gillin welcome you to their remodeling and interior design blog.

Located in Springfield PA, Grande Decor provides a full range of construction services including whole house renovations, bathroom and kitchen remodels, new additions and much more. Using design/remodel processes, we have a proven record of satisfying our clients, meeting deadlines and staying within budget. We invite you to review our portfolio, read what our clients have had to say, and then contact us to learn how we can make your renovation or new home construction a pleasant experience.

You will be happy to hear just how easy it is to do an annual cleaning and sealing of your granite counter(s).

1. First clean your countertop thoroughly using a natural cleaner. Never clean with any product containing acid, lemon, or bleach. Acids, even a light solution of vinegar and water, will eventually etch and damage natural stone. Do not use scouring powders or creams; these products contain abrasives that may scratch the surface.

2. Now apply the stone sealer. Stone sealers will need to be reapplied as soon as you notice water no longer stands (beads up) on the surface.

-Make sure you buy a spray cleaner and/or sealer conducive of your countertop material. For example; we have a honed slate material, so I buy a product with that description. Whereas someone with polished granite should look for a natural stone cleaner/sealer.